Electric conveyer.



No. 678,312. Patented luly 9, |90I.

' J. 4fi. GILMER.

-ELECTRIC CNVEYER. I (Appumion fuga Nov. 1o, 1900@ (No Nudel.)l

J Suivante/z UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

JOHN e. GILMER, on sT. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA.

ELECTRIC CONVEYER.

SPECIFICATION forming l19511.11', f Letters Patent N O. 678,312, dated July 9, 1901. Application led November 10, 1900. Serial No. 36,121. (No model.)

To all 7071/0771, it may 0077/0674771:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. GILMER, aciti- 'zen of the United States,residing at St. Petersburg, in the county of Hillsboro and State of Florida, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Electric Conveyers, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to electrically-'propelled conveyors designed especially for the transportation of mail-matter or small packages through a conduit and adapted to serve the purpose of the pneumatic tubes now employed for this character of transportation.

The invention comprisesa conduit of improved construction, an electric motor adapted to said conduit, and means for connecting said motor with ca rs or carriers.

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, which .form a part of this specification, and its novel features will be defined in the appended claims. i

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a conduit embodying the invention with the motor shown partly in section and partly in side elevation; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the conduit, showing the motor in rear elevation.

The conduit is of square or rectangular form in cross-section and consists of two sections 1 and 2, each formed with outwardlyextending flanges 3. The flanges of the two sections abut and are secured by rivets 4, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

5 and 6 designate rails secured to the base of the lower section 1 of the conduit, and centrally between said rails is a grooved strip 7, within the groove of which is a conductingstrip 8, preferably of copper, embedded in a non-conductin g substance 9. The upper conduit-section 2 is also provided on the inner side 'of its top with a central grooved strip 10, within which is arranged a conductor 11, embedded in a non-conducting substance 12.

The reference-numeral 13 designates the magnetic field of the motor,and 14: the armature thereof, arranged upon a shaft or axle 15, upon the ends of which are mounted wheels 16, adapted to run upon the rails 5 and 6. At 5o the rear side of the motor an axle 17 is provided, carrying flanged guard-wheels 1S and 19, which .also travel upon the rails 5 and 6.

2O and 21 designate blocks located, respectively, at the top and bottom of the motor and having projecting pintles upon which are mounted antifriction-rollers 22 and 23. The upper rollers 22 travel on Opposite sides of the strip 10, and the lower rollers 23 bear against the opposite sides of-the lowerl strip 7 6o thus maintaining the motor in its central per= pendicular position at all times.

To each of the blocks 20 and 21 is secured a brush or current-collector, (designated by the numerals 24 and 25, respectively.) The 65 free ends of these brushes bear upon the conductors 11 and S, respectively, and are connected by wire conductors 26 and 27 with the oppositely-disposed brushes 28 of the motorarmature. 7o

429 designates a draw-head carried by the axle 17, and to said draw-head is coupled the draw-head 30 of a car or carrier 31, mounted upon wheels, as 32, adapted to travel upon the rails 5 and 6.

The operation of the mechanism will' be readily understood. The conductor 11is connected with a suitable source of electricity, and the current passes through the brush 24 to the motor and thence through the brush 8o 25 and lower conductor-strip 8 back to the source of current, thus completing the circuit through the motor, revolving the armature, and propelling the 'motor and its attached cars or carriers. 85.

The conduit is located in a suitable trench or subway and is provided at suitable points or stations with openings to permit access to the carriers.

I claim- 1. The combination with a motor for electric couveyers provided on both its 'upper and lower sides with antifrictiOn-rollersarranged in pairs; of a car or carrier coupled to said motor; carrying-wheels; and guard-wheels. 95

2. A conduit for electric conveyers, of rectangular form, comprising two flanged sections; a grooved guide-rail securedcentrally to the inner surface of the upper section; a eonduetorsupported Within the groove of Said guide-rail; a grooved guide-rail secured centrally to the bottom of lthe conduit; a oonduetor Within the groove of said guide-rail; and parallel rails on the bottom of the oonduit adjacent to the sides thereof.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN G. GILMER.

Vitnesses:

W. A. SIMS, NELSON MACREYNOLDS. 

